


No Compromise

by FaultyParagon



Series: Canon-Compliant/Canon-Rooted RWBY Fics [5]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Adam-Centric, Anti-Faunus Racism (RWBY), Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Behavior, Canon-Typical Violence, Childhood Trauma, Drabble Collection, Drama, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Eye Trauma, F/F, F/M, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Romance, Slavery, Unhealthy Relationships, tragic backstory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-08
Updated: 2019-09-25
Packaged: 2020-08-13 05:35:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 100
Words: 10,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20168998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FaultyParagon/pseuds/FaultyParagon
Summary: Adam Taurus wasn't made in a day. After a lifetime of misfortune, poor decisions, clouded judgements, and lacking guidance, he truly believed he was a hero- that he deserved to be lionized.Inspired by 'Lionize' from the V6 OST, this is my take on Adam's life in canon, from childhood till death, explored through 100 drabbles using the 100 Prompts Challenge. Updated daily.





	1. Birth

**Author's Note:**

> This is the emotion-focused 100 Prompt Challenge that has floated around online for years. 100 prompts, 100 chapters, 100 words each- just brief introspective snippets into Adam's life. Canon conversations will likely not be repeated, due to word count, but it will be as canon-compliant as possible.
> 
> Content warning: Nothing will be explicit past what the show does, but this fic does have mentions of violence, self-harm, sexual/physical/emotional abuse, and foul language. Read at your own discretion.

**1\. Birth**

Life wasn't easy as a Faunus.

_We are lesser. _

Those words were engrained into his heart from the very day he was born. He was unworthy. He wasn't meant to exist.

And yet, it didn't click for quite a few years. As a babe, all he could do was reach out a tiny hand to his parents- his kind, loving parents. They were gentle. They loved him, their little boy, with all their hearts.

That didn't stop them from being shot before his very eyes when he was five. That day, he learned what it truly meant to be _lesser._


	2. Enthusiasm

**2\. Enthusiasm**

Working in the Schnee Dust Company mines in northern Vacuo wasn't easy. The electric-Dust entered his lungs, made him cough, made him wheeze, and particles of fire-Dust burned his skin upon contact. They were given no protection.

The guards told him to look more… 'lively'. The other children said to 'cheer up'. That 'it would all be okay'.

He didn't know what those words meant. He _did _know what two other words meant, though.

_Faunus- _his badge to wear, as plain as the horns jutting out of his forehead.

_Human- _the ones who held the key to his shackles.


	3. Love

**3\. Love**

Adam thought he was going to be alone forever. He was terrified of the shadows.

So, it was a surprise for the little boy to meet _her. _

She held his hand, cradling him at night when he was cold and scared. She shared her meager portions with him when his stomach rumbled and ached, and she let him touch her fluffy tail- always so bedraggled and thin due to their damp conditions, but always so _warm. _

She had lost her baby. He had lost his parents. So, amidst the horrors of the work camps, she became _home._


	4. Hate

**4\. Hate**

It was after his seventh birthday that he truly learned what hatred was.

She had somehow gotten a cookie for him. How, he didn't know- but she pressed her lips to his forehead and told him, so earnestly, "I'm so happy you were born, Adam."

And he felt whole, despite all the weariness, the cracked nails and bruises and cold. He was whole. He wasn't a monster. He was loved.

The guards- humans, awful, horrible humans- figured out that her smile was beautiful, too. That they could, "ignore the tail, and she's almost like one of us!"

She didn't come back after that night.


	5. Triumph

**5\. Triumph**

Without her arms, he was cold, tiny. But, just like all of the others, he learned to cope. He learned how to generate heat- learned how to manipulate the very Dust he was excavating, processing. He learned to quietly ask the other children how they kept warm, how they used their Semblances in secret to stay alive. Soon, his body was always warm, muscles growing strong, heart ablaze.

And when he was able to fight back against a guard when they tried to beat one of his friends, biting and hissing and spitting, he knew that he was born to _survive._


	6. Feel

**6\. Feel**

He couldn't feel anything other than pain. They dragged him away, off the production line to the back of the warehouse. Instantly, he understood his mistake. He squirmed, he cried, he sobbed- but they didn't release him when he tried to escape.

The grip on his arm didn't abate until his face was splattered with red, the spray of his friend's blood, by the hands of a cackling, errant guard. "And no one will know they're even gone," the man said, dropping him back onto the line.

They didn't let him wash the blood off. It dried on his skin- dark, crackling.


	7. Wreck

**7\. Wrecked**

He became their toy. Anytime he slipped, they used the excuse to rain blows upon his body, his heart.

Although he fought to defy them in memory of his guardians, he was just a boy. Soon, the horns on his head became the signifiers of his worthlessness. He hated them.

So when the other Faunus found him, knife embedded in one stubby bullhorn as he tried sawing it off, tried becoming what was _so much damn better _than him, they cried. They begged him not to. They told him that their people were beautiful.

He cried. He just wanted to see that beauty, too.


	8. Soft

**8\. Soft**

The whispers of freedom floated in along assembly lines and factory floors like a dream. In passing ears, among changing hands, the legends of a peaceful organization that could save them all filled their hearts with joy. Apparently, they were all Faunus, but they were talked to as _equals. _And they would bring that salvation to _all _Faunus.

Adam wanted that freedom. The name of the White Fang became his silent mantra, lulling himself to sleep with his prayers for a peaceful future embedding themselves onto his tongue. For the first time in his ten years of life, he had _hope._


	9. Cold

**9\. Cold**

Rumours of protests for equality filtered down. Guards talked, workers overheard, and within hours, the entire camp knew. It sounded like the White Fang were truly establishing themselves as a force of justice.

God, how he _dreamed _of being one of them, being saved by their apparently-valiant leader.

But his freedom came at a much steeper price. The fire alighting the camp blazed sudden and swift. He was ushered out by the other children- they weren't able to save any of the older Faunus.

Despite the heat singing their backs as they ran away from the pyre lighting the night sky, he was just… cold.


	10. Without

**10\. Without**

Vacuo was cruel and dangerous, even without the Grimm. The desert sands blew into dunes, the ever-shifting landscape only carved out by the near-prehistoric creatures which roamed their plains. Food was a scarcity, safety even more so. Adam became accustomed to the chill in his bones- now no longer damp from the camp, instead coming from the wind. It howled endlessly. The cold made his scarred horns ache.

But Adam was a fighter. Many others were not. He learned this quickly, as their trail, hopping from oasis to oasis, was punctuated by the bodies of his friends. He couldn't save them.


	11. Inspiration

**11\. Inspiration**

The Grimm inspired him to keep going.

It was an odd realization for the thirteen-year-old- but the Grimm knew how to survive. They could smell their prey on the shifting sands, and that wind- that biting wind, gripping his bones, sanding down his strength, hollowing out his heart- guided them to their targets flawlessly. He wanted to be like them.

So, he began to seek them out.

A Grimm's claws became nothing next to his claws of carved stone. Their fangs were nothing compared to the bite of his stolen blades. He defended everyone he could. Most of the time, he won.

He decided- if he was a monster, he'd be the strongest.


	12. You

**12\. You**

"We'll follow you, Adam."

It was his first taste of leadership. It tasted sweet.

But there was a bitterness on his tongue, too. The group had been whittled down to such few numbers over the years in the desert. Their clothes were stolen, identities forged, and their Faunus characteristics- their people's heritage, their pride- was wrapped and tucked and hidden away as much as possible, to avoid any wandering eyes, any potential enemies. They weren't whole.

Word of the White Fang were nothing but whispers for now. He just hoped, dreamed, _needed _to live long enough for them to become more.


	13. Confused

**13\. Confused**

Time passed. Occasionally, they found sympathetic travelers who sheltered them, giving them a place to stay for the night. They'd share flatbread and cactus tea, and his family would sleep with full bellies and warm hearts.

Half the time, his dreams were interrupted by attacks from their guardians. And he would fight, tooth and nail, to keep his people safe. The humans never changed- no matter how tall or strong or smart he grew, they were always the same.

And half the time, his dreams were interrupted by his own mission. He'd awaken his peers. Together, they'd gut their sleeping guardians, taking their possessions, disappearing into sand. Anything to survive.


	14. Affection

**14\. Affection**

It was when one of their ranks, easily able to hide their heritage thanks to the gloves which covered their reptilian claws, returned from a quick trip into Shade Academy's halls to scout information, that Adam finally learned what it felt like to have a tangible goal.

The White Fang were based in Menagerie. _Freedom _was in Menagerie.

The very thought of it was baffling- what did that word even mean? The others _sang _in happiness. Following him had paid off.

Adam wondered. Would he finally know what it meant to be proud? As a _Faunus?_

He didn't care. Whatever it truly meant… it would be _delicious._


	15. Joy

**15\. Joy**

The rumours told them of another work camp along the southern border of Vacuo. A new Dust deposit had been found, and SDC was suspiciously silent about who was providing the labour.

Adam knew.

So when his family repeated their heist- burning down the camp, setting fire to warehouses, evacuating the enslaved Faunus within- he wasn't expecting the Faunus to protest, saying _they didn't have homes, they couldn't survive out there alone…_

He left them. Vacuo only allowed the strongest to live. And, the SDC had left an airship docked outside the camp. It was their ticket to the White Fang. Adam just_ knew _it.


	16. Horror

**16\. Horror**

The plan failed.

He had thought they were ready. They were strong enough to survive the sands, gear tough enough to endure anything.

He was wrong.

His family died. The guards realized he was their unofficial leader, the ringleader initiating the attempted hijacking. They took him without a second thought outside of the ship, heating up a metal SDC brand with fire-Dust. "This'll teach you to fight us, _monster,"_ they spat.

The world exploded into red and fiery pain, his screams ripped savagely from his throat. For the first time in his life, he wished that death could claim him. He wasn't a survivor.

He was property of the Schnee Dust Company.


	17. Acceptance

**17\. Acceptance**

He woke up in delirium, with a large, calloused hand stroking his hair back from his forehead. It spoke to him kindly. It didn't hesitate to touch his horns.

When he was finally able open his eye- the other one was bandaged shut, he realized- the face above his own was gentle. Cat ears flicked back and forth, a middle-aged woman watching over him tenderly.

"You're okay," she soothed. "You'll be safe."

"Where am I?" he gasped.

"We're with the White Fang. We're here to help. Rest."

And, as if they were the words of a magical incantation, he listened.


	18. Sympathy

**18\. Sympathy**

She was Kali, wife to Ghira Belladonna, leader of the White Fang.

They had heard of SDC's atrocious crimes in Vacuo. Arriving just in time to see the camps in flames, Faunus gunned down by remaining Schnee guards, they now had the most damning evidence possible to shut down Schnee's practices, Kali said.

She promised revenge for the brand over Adam's left eye. He'd never see from it again. He didn't know what it looked like- too scared to look- but her face twisted in sorrow whenever they met. It broke him inside.

He didn't want to be linked to his captors forever. He had escaped, right?


	19. Holding

**19\. Holding**

It took him weeks to get out of bed. The burns were awful, and after multiple infections and chilly, feverish nights plagued by delirium, the scent of his own cooking flesh forever engrained into his olfactory nerves, he was finally able to stand up.

His caretakers cheered. They held him tight, told him that he was in Menagerie. The White Fang, and their blue flag fluttering in the wind, would be his home.

He asked for his weapons back. He didn't like being unarmed, alone.

"But you're not alone," Ghira said, honest and true. "Not anymore."

And Adam wept.


	20. Defeated

**20\. Defeated**

Fate was cruel. Taunted and tortured, the White Fang could only gape as the Schnee Dust Company swept their bad press under the rug. The community of Menagerie was horrified, unable to comprehend just how disgusting humans could be. How could they just turn a blind eye to such blatant atrocities?

Adam heard of the news the day he finally managed to look at his reflection again. He found a _monster- _a blood-red sclera, formerly bright-blue iris grey and burned, eyebrow singed off completely. And, worst of all, the red SDC brand pulsated, raised.

He was proof that there was no justice in the world, wasn't he?


	21. Pride

**21\. Pride**

When he first entered their headquarters, Ghira stood in surprise. "Young man, what are you doing here?"

"Adam, you should be resting," Kali insisted. She paused, heartbreak in her eyes. "…you found an eyepatch."

The others whispered, pity evident. The brand was still visible underneath the black cloth eyepatch he had hobbled together himself in his hospital bed.

Everyone gasped as he removed the eyepatch momentarily, showcasing his wounds. "I can fight. Let me join you."

The others circled him, clapping, patting him on the back. He would help bring peace to the Faunus- that was his vow.


	22. Knife

**22\. Knife**

The attack by a group of humans was sudden. Ghira attempted speaking peacefully to the marauders. Their words fell onto deaf ears.

Adam was ready to slash away any enemies. This was his new family, and he would protect them.

So, when he retrieved a Dust-embedded knife from one assailant, blocking another man's attack, he wasn't expecting the blade to glow red, his Aura channeling into the blade. He saw another man aim at Kali's back.

He swung to defend her, a slice of energy and power and _pain _erupting from the blade and slicing the human clean in two.

Intestines fell onto the floor, and it was dark.


	23. Overwhelmed

**23\. Overwhelmed**

When he awoke once more, the encounter was over. The humans fled, seeing his powers. They called him a monster again.

He didn't feel like one, though- not at first. He awoke, head in the lap of one of the lieutenants, the kindly woman murmuring, "You awoke your Semblance. Congratulations, Adam."

But when he saw the body of one of the corporals- a friendly young man who had lent Adam clothes to fill out his non-existent wardrobe- the label of 'monster' felt more and more fitting. These people weren't the bloodthirsty Faunus children from the work camps- they were kind. They were _home._ How could he have let someone he loved die?


	24. Depressed

**24\. Depressed**

His Semblance needed proper training, Ghira insisted. It required too much energy to activate all the time. There was no point meeting bloodshed with bloodshed. His murder of the human was an accident, but wouldn't be tolerated again.

Ghira's disappointment hurt Adam. He respected the elder like no one else he had ever met.

And yet, it seemed he had earned a soft spot in the hearts of the Belladonnas. After the commotion died down, and their borders were fortified once more, he was invited to their home.

And inside their walls, his whole life changed.


	25. Adoration

**25\. Adoration**

Her name was Blake. She was eleven- meek and shy, book in hand as she descended the staircase when her parents called for her. Her big, golden eyes shone, peering into his heart- matching his blue one so intensely that his breath caught in his throat, and suddenly, the fifteen-year-old had no words. Although she seemed stoic and silent, when her parents affectionately called her over, explaining with pride how she had been participating in their rallies for peace since she was young, her tiny cat ears folded, and she nuzzled into her father's large palm affectionately.

She was _perfect._


	26. Worship

**26\. Worship**

That evening, the two adults left to fill in paperwork, leaving Adam alone in the living room, the young girl across from him.

He didn't dare look up. She was so _pure_. _No wonder Ghira and Kali give so much. They _need _to make the world better… for_ her.

When she reached over, he flinched. Her hand strayed upwards, running along stubble, his eyepatch. He only met her gaze once she lifted up the cloth, fingers brushing over the scar.

"We'll make them pay," she whispered, determined. No disgust or pity to be seen.

That was how he fell in love with Blake Belladonna.


	27. Zeal

**27\. Zeal**

"Meet Ilia," Blake smiled.

Adam could only squint suspiciously as he scrutinized this newcomer. She was a year younger than him- fourteen and gangly, freckles and sun spots over her skin. She smiled and held out a hand.

He frowned. "Why is a human here?" he hissed.

Ilia was close to tears, but Blake squeezed her hand. She sighed, and then, before Adam's very eyes, Ilia turned blue, green, purple. A chameleon Faunus.

Silently, he raised his eyepatch. Her eyes widened. "Schnee killed my parents," she breathed.

"Mine too."

And with that, they knew- they'd be allies. They'd make a world where they could be free.


	28. Light

**28\. Light**

"We had these made for you," Ghira murmured, handing him a sheathed sword. "It should help with your Semblance."

"It's made to be kept mostly in the sheath," the blacksmith explained proudly. Adam frowned, confused. The goat Faunus patted him on the shoulder. "It's infused with Dust to absorb your Aura. You'll figure it out, son."

"Do you think you can do it?" Ghira asked gently.

Adam nodded. "I swear to wield it well."

The elder shook his head. "It's not to _fight._" Ghira knelt before the teen. "It's to protect."

Blake's face flashed into his mind. "…I understand."


	29. Exhaustion

**29\. Exhaustion**

So, Adam trained. He trained every moment he could, every second he wasn't able to help around the White Fang's headquarters. Alongside Blake and a few of the other young Faunus who were helping the cause, he was put in charge of preparing materials, creating signs for protests, organizing documents and files about manpower and supplies and missions.

He hated it. He wanted to be on the front line, defending his people, helping their cause. But Ghira wouldn't take him along until he was strong enough to not accidentally unleash his Semblance once again.

His only solace was Blake and Ilia. They stayed with him, always.


	30. Obsession

**30\. Obsession**

His obsession with mastering his blade became well-known. He practically slept in their training centre, and the older soldiers were soon unable to keep up with his skill. His years scavenging in Vacuo had taught him much about stealth, about moving fluidly through the sand to strike- to kill. He was gifted in ways that surpassed everyone's expectations. The only one who could best him was Sienna Khan, a fearsome tiger Faunus.

Although everyone else was impressed, the only thing that truly mattered was the approval of the Belladonnas. Blake's eyes shone every time she saw him training. He felt proud.


	31. Rage

**31\. Rage**

"You're doing well, Adam," the coy, knowing voice called.

He stopped, panting heavily, sheathing his blade. He wanted to keep fighting- he had been kept off another escort mission, and he was livid- but his Aura was running dangerously low. He needed to rest.

Turning to the speaker, he froze, seeing Sienna watching him knowingly. "Thank you," he replied smoothly.

She gestured towards his blade. "What's it called?"

"Wilt." Blake had named it. He treasured that fact.

She hummed. "What's your goal in the White Fang, young Adam?"

"To bring us freedom."

She narrowed her eyes. "How?"

"Whatever it takes."

She smiled.


	32. Empty

**32\. Empty**

Blake arrived one day with her own weapon. "I want to be strong too."

His heart swelled with pride. He reached over, cupping her cheek, stroking her skin under his own calloused thumb. She was so small, yet so strong. "I'll train you," he promised.

But Adam didn't know his own strength. He had recently modified his scabbard, now doubling as a rifle. When he shot Wilt hilt-first, and it struck Blake in the stomach, he realized how frail her Aura really was. He ran over, clutching her as she gasped for breath.

And the entire night following, he blushed, trying to understand. Seeing her in pain simultaneously brought him so much emptiness... and creeping, shadowy pleasure.


	33. Anger

**33\. Anger**

"How _dare _you!" Ilia's slap knocked him off guard. He hadn't expected his friend to go that far.

"We were training-"

"Blake is a _child!_" she fumed.

Adam narrowed his eyes, taking in her heaving chest, the anger palpable. "…You don't think of her as a 'child' anymore, do you?"

She froze, guilty and fearful. Because Blake was a young woman now, with beauty and grace and curves. And Adam knew that Ilia stared at her the same way he himself did.

"She's older than I was when I began to fight," he reasoned. "Are you just angry that she came to me, not you?"

Ilia didn't respond.


	34. Fury

**34\. Fury**

That conversation triggered everything. On her twelfth birthday, Adam resolved to be the one by Blake's side. He trained her to fight until she was just as fearsome as her parents, who watched on proudly.

And, to everyone's surprise, whenever their sessions were done, he would sit close as she read her books, allowing her to indulging herself in what little childish fantasies through fiction she could find. She taught him to read properly, and he supported her escapism.

He wanted her to feel safe by his side. It was an idle thought, really- no malice behind it, just warmth. If he became _her _home, then she'd never leave.


	35. Delight

**35\. Delight**

When Adam was allowed on his first escort mission, protecting some high-ranking members of the White Fang as they travelled to Beacon Academy for an equality conference, he finally told her. There were no guarantees he'd come back, after all. He didn't want to regret.

"I love you," he murmured, sixteen-year-old voice husky and smooth, hand on her shoulder drifting down her cheek, the curve of her chin, her neck, settling into the groove of her collarbone. "Be mine, Blake."

And he felt her breath intake sharply, cheeks colouring. She nodded, clutching onto his sleeve, avoiding his gaze. His heart melted. He'd come back. She'd be waiting.


	36. Submission

**36\. Submission**

Come back, he did- with his chest held high, the knowledge that he had been able to fight back the Grimm which ambushed their party better than anyone else. Ilia, still stuck doing grunt work and attending rallies, could only weep and bite her thumbnail and frown as Blake ran up to Adam, throwing her arms around his neck, allowing his hands to drift beyond what was acceptable of 'just friends'.

He didn't want to alienate Ilia. They were comrades. But Blake was something he'd never give up- she gave to him something he couldn't get anywhere else.

Unbreakable trust.


	37. Infatuation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I would like to explicitly say that what he's doing is mega creepy and I don't condone it at all. The whole situation is horrifying. 4.5 years isn't a big deal between adults- if they met a decade later, it would be 9000% better on a base level- but as teens? It's gross. They're in such different stages in regards to their personal development, so what he's doing is preying on a child. However, it makes sense for Adam in canon, and for how their relationship became what it was.

**37\. Infatuation**

Somehow, the moment the young girl took his hand, his life became brighter. It was a surreal experience- having someone so devotedly in his corner, so ready to defend, hold, cherish his every word, touch, glance, made him feel utterly invincible. Suddenly, Ghira and Kali's motivations made sense to him. _I have to fix this world, so _we _can live in peace._

Her pride and dedication was heady. He gave her all the attention her busy parents couldn't, cheering her on for her massive growth, for her skills which would one day guide the White Fang to equality. She basked in his touch- and in return, she listened to his every word.

It was wonderful.


	38. Anticipation

**38\. Anticipation**

She kissed him for the first time without him initiating in front of Ghira, of all people. The elder pulled him aside after his daughter had run upstairs, blushing and giddy and in love.

"Adam, you're like a son to me. But Blake is too young. Don't do this."

"Do what?" He knew what Ghira meant.

Ghira grabbed his shoulders, squeezing tight, warning. "She looks up to you, Adam. You're a good young man. Just… _please. _Do _not _abuse that strength. Use it for the right reasons."

"I am using it, sir- I'll use my strength for all of us-"

"Adam." His eyes flashed. He walked away. Adam's heart broke.


	39. Pessimistic

**39\. Pessimistic**

From then on, Ghira didn't treat him the same. Matters with the White Fang grew more and more tumultuous, so the elder was busy more often than not- but anytime the leader was home, Adam saw the man watching him in the training centre with Blake, growing stronger and stronger.

All his growth felt meaningless if Ghira didn't approve. The man was his hero, the closest thing he'd ever had to a father. He didn't want to feel his disappointment.

Worst of all, he didn't know how to avoid it- he couldn't give up Blake. He just _couldn't. _She was _home._


	40. Jolly

**40\. Jolly**

His did well to put his faith in Blake. The twelve-year-old grabbed his hand one evening as he sliced through yet another training dummy. "Adam, come see!"

Blindly, he followed.

The entire city of Menagerie seemed to bustle, a vibrancy thrumming in the air. Adam didn't venture out of White Fang headquarters very often. "What's happening tonight?"

Suddenly, fireworks erupted in the air. They were beautiful. She reached up and pulled off his eyepatch. "One day, Faunus will watch fireworks anywhere safely, right?"

Her hair flowing in the wind, stark against showering sparks, burned into both eyes, broken and not. If that was her dream, he'd make it so.


	41. Grasping

**41\. Grasping**

By his seventeenth birthday, she was beginning to do more than just join the peaceful protests. She was joining her father on diplomacy talks, standing guard of freight… putting herself in danger.

And she didn't need him coming along anymore.

"Ghira, you can't let her join us, it's dangerous!" Adam kept protesting.

Her father could only sigh. "…She's strong enough to fight," the man muttered. "Thanks to you."

And suddenly, it felt like his entire world was slipping through his fingers. Had helping her grow strong been a mistake?

He didn't want to clip her wings, he was _so proud _of her… but he didn't want to be… unneeded.


	42. Agitation

**42\. Agitation**

"But Adam, I want to _help_-"

"Getting hurt _won't _help, Blake," he hissed, cornering her against the wall.

They were alone.

His heart sank.

Her ears were pressed flat against her head, trapped.

Tenderly, he reached up a hand, cupping her cheek. She nuzzled into it instinctively, but her fear didn't wane.

"I'm fighting to make the White Fang heard," he promised, pressing lips against her skin. "I'm doing it for _you._"

"Me?"

"You. So you and I can walk together across Remnant without fear." He raised her chin. "Don't you want that?"

Her eyes welled up. "I do."

"Then stay here."

"…Okay."

"Good girl."

Her ears didn't raise.


	43. Calm

**43\. Calm**

But no matter what Ghira and Kali did, their cause didn't grow. Peaceful protests were ignored, and their leaders and supply convoys were attacked time and time again.

On an escort mission to Haven Academy, Adam heard of a local SDC facility from a Faunus worker on the assembly line. Under cover of night, he whispered to his peers, planning an infiltration. They didn't tell Ghira.

That night, he met Grimm. The demons didn't stand a chance- but their masks struck a chord in him.

_If I'm a monster, I'll be the strongest._

The Mistralian craftsman didn't ask questions when he commissioned a mask.


	44. Astonished

**44\. Astonished**

The infiltration went well, and Adam walked in without an eyepatch for the first time in two years. Instead, he picked up his Grimm mask of carved bone, settling it over his eyes. It covered his scars, giving him more than enough visibility to see and fight and lead his team. It felt _right. _

More importantly, it struck fear in the hearts of the other Faunus who joined him. They murmured words of awed approval, his intent reaching them instantly.

He was like the Grimm- drawn to the negativity of the SDC, of humanity. And he'd devour anyone who wanted to harm the Faunus.


	45. Loneliness

**45\. Loneliness**

Ghira hated it. That hurt Adam.

"That mask makes us look like _monsters!" _he roared, slamming his fist into his table. "What do you think you're doing, representing us like this, Adam?!"

Sienna stepped forward. "Our methods haven't been working, Ghira," she said loftily. "Maybe… what the humans need _is _to think of us as true monsters. They'd listen to fear-"

"Fear is not the goal!" Ghira insisted. "It's equality! It's peace! Not," he waved towards Adam, "fear-mongering."

The other Faunus didn't agree. Soon, everyone had fashioned masks- animal-like, covering their eyes. A few people, including Ilia, made their own Grimm masks.

He had never felt more powerful.


	46. Lust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I AM SO UNCOMFORTABLE  
so now you get to be uncomfortable with me  
enjoy

**46\. Lust**

Blake didn't like the masks. She asked Ilia to stop- Grimm hurt people. The White Fang just wanted peace.

Ilia didn't. Despite their differences concerning Blake, Ilia knew Adam would lead them to victory.

Adam's wish to hide his brand became the icon of his strength and influence. Soon, even Blake had to bow to his confidence, charm- intimidation.

In order to keep her by his side, he allowed her to pull the mask off his face the first time he took her to his bed. Under him, she submitted. He knew it then- the mask could never truly be removed. She'd always bow to him. She'd always be his.


	47. Longing

**47\. Longing**

He didn't mean to kill the human on the cargo escort. At least, not in front of Ghira. But as the man looked at him, the human's blood staining his mask, dripping through the eyeholes, he could see absolute distrust. "You're only supposed to use your Semblance to protect, Adam."

"I protected _you._"

"At the cost of a life!"

"You're worth _more-_"

"_No one _is worth more than another!"

_"Would Blake want you dead?"_

Ghira didn't respond.

"Let's just… not tell her," Adam said to soothe him.

The creases in the man's brow didn't ease- but neither did the smile which had emerged on Adam's face after killing the human.


	48. Tender

**48\. Tender**

Ilia wore her mask still. Sienna sung him praise. The entire journey back to Menagerie was an argumentative one.

"Our people need to make a statement," Sienna insisted. "We must prove our might."

Ghira refused to accept it.

Adam tuned it out. He didn't care- they didn't know it, but he had killed many humans before. The fresh blood on his mask changed little in his heart.

Blake was not happy. "Adam, you _killed _someone?!"

He cupped her cheek. "They tried to kill Ghira," he replied smoothly. "It was an accident. I just wanted to keep him safe."

She cried into his jacket. He held her, safe and warm.


	49. Hard

**49\. Hard**

That mission triggered a change in the White Fang. Everyone's hearts were swayed by Adam's strength, bowing their heads to his presence. He was worth a damn, finally.

But then, Ghira swept the rug out from under him. "I'm stepping down. We're leaving-"

"I'm not," Blake insisted. "I can't, not when we have a chance."

"Sweetheart, Sienna is taking over. They're going to start using violence. It's not safe-"

"I _won't abandon everyone!_"

Kali broke. "Blake… you need to come with us." They pulled her away, kicking and screaming. Adam could only watch as his most important person and his idol left him behind. He wasn't good enough for them.


	50. Rebirth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Halfway through! Let me know if you're following along!

**50\. Rebirth**

Sienna's reign as the High Leader was a valiant one. She quickly appointed him to stand by her side, using his youth and strength to inspire the younger Faunus. He threw himself into his work- what else was he to do?

But after a successful infiltration into a White Fang Dust-refining facility, destroying incredible amounts of their outgoing shipment, he found an unexpected visitor at the door of his quarters in their headquarters.

"You're not changing the world without me," Blake whispered.

Immediately, he opened his arms, enveloping her. He asked no questions.

She had chosen him. He wasn't alone.


	51. Amused

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Over the halfway point at last.

**51\. Amused**

Years passed. Sienna relied on him more than she realized. His mask's imposing silhouette inspired adoption by majority of their ranking officers. It made their ongoing raids, attacks which Ghira never would've allowed, so much more satisfying- the fearful faces of humanity fueled every attack with pride.

When there were casualties, it grew easier and easier to brush off Blake's disapproval. Whether she liked it or not, his mask- and the new, blood-red flag their new ideology adopted, baring their fangs at last- was _working_. And no matter what she said, Blake was his. She wouldn't leave him.

The media called it 'terrorism'. In his heart, he called it retribution.


	52. Broken

**52\. Broken**

She was sixteen when she began inching away from him.

She didn't want to share his bed anymore. He tried easing her back, soothing her worries- but she insisted that she didn't like his mask, didn't like the blood-red colour of Wilt and Blush, didn't like how she couldn't read his eyes anymore.

He didn't understand. He was wiping away the filth which was humanity for _her, _for _them. _Why was she leaving? Hadn't she already forsaken the ideals of her parents, the cowards?

But whenever he brought them up, she'd look away guiltily. She didn't want to kiss him anymore.

Something was wrong.


	53. Abused

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We've finally reached the Black trailer.

**53\. Abused**

The night before the raid in Forever Fall, she cornered him.

"You killed all the humans on the way here," she whispered.

He knelt behind her, gathering her up in his arms. No matter how long he spent by her side, the scent of her hair, the touch of her skin against his- he worshiped it all. She was perfect. "I wanted to protect you," he murmured.

"I don't need protecting, Adam. And you don't get to decide who lives and who dies."

Twenty-four hours later, she cut away the locomotive, driving away, leaving him behind. He read the words on her lips.

"Goodbye."


	54. Tranquil

**54\. Tranquil**

He was a wreck.

How could Blake have left him? How could she have_ abandoned_ him, left him to _fucking die _out there in Forever Fall, without so much as an apology?

He just didn't understand. She was _his._

Sienna learned of the betrayal. She sent him to take over the faction in Vale, sort out his heartache.

He said goodbye to Ilia. She cried. He knew that she'd stay loyal to him- she couldn't lose them both.

Everyone in his vanguard switched to Grimm masks. When he ordered assassination of an SDC trustee visiting Vale, they agreed without question. He could trust them.

Leading them, he found some peace.


	55. Composed

**55\. Composed**

He treated his orders from Sienna as more of a front than anything. In reality, he simply did whatever she wanted in order to maintain her trust. Sienna's plans were perfect for displaying the might of the Faunus, but after years of working under her, he knew that Sienna would not be enough to change the world.

The ache of losing Blake festered, meanwhile.

So, he waited in Vale, growing his power. He found peace in his people- when he was ready, he'd hunt her down again. And when he found her, he'd make sure that she never left again.


	56. Glad

**56\. Glad**

He sent feelers everywhere, searching for her. It took him months- there was no way to precisely locate one singular girl amidst the entirety of Remnant.

But, as it turned out, searching the whole world wasn't even needed.

His men streamed in footage from Beacon's initiation, illegally tapping into school-wide lines to keep an eye on any potential threats. And, lo and behold, he saw his beloved, fighting alongside some blonde plain as day.

She was so nearby. But the human was closer. It made his blood boil. _He _used to fight by her side.

He decided- he'd drag Blake back to him. No human could have her.


	57. Stress

**57\. Stress**

The fact that a human could so easily defeat his men enraged him. He had spent _months _working to convince his lower followers that he was ready for the responsibility of leading them, despite being barely twenty-two. To think that this filthy woman could just waltz into his camp, murder the majority of his personal guard, and step foot into his home as if she owned it…

Yet, something about her intrigued him- a confidence. She held immense power.

He wanted it.

And so, he decided to help her with her own schemes. And while they sorted out the details, he dreamt of the day he could murder Cinder Fall.


	58. Serenity

**58\. Serenity**

Cinder promised power. And as she held up her hand, flames spiralling upwards into the sky without any Dust, he knew that he had made the right decision.

Whatever sorcery she knew, he'd take it for himself. And using it, he'd destroy her, and all the others who looked down upon the Faunus.

Quietly, he reported that he'd gained immeasurable strength in an unlikely ally. Sienna asked no questions- only smiled, vicious and proud and feral. She gave him permission to use it. The White Fang would prove that the Faunus were not to be trifled with.


	59. Colourful

**59\. Colourful**

Cinder and her team was one thing- but his patience quickly wore thin upon meeting her confederates. Torchwick's only use, other than being utterly inept at stealing Dust, was bringing his men Atlesian supplies. With his help, Adam armed his troops with the best tech possible, and soon his group was more than able to continue his real plan.

Sienna ordered the attacks upon the shops that refused to serve the Faunus. She didn't order the attack from Mountain Glenn. Adam didn't care. He left his mark in the ruined city. He had his plans, and he'd see them to fruition.


	60. Coping

**60\. Coping**

Blake was there.

Blake ruined the breach.

Blake ruined _everything._

He seethed as he went over the reports from his lieutenants. She had _been there, _and she had _slipped away. _And now, she was back behind her safe walls in Beacon, where he couldn't touch her.

He approached Cinder, demanding vengeance. The cunning woman simply smiled. "That can be arranged," she murmured.

But until the humans finalized their own plans, he would have to wait. He resigned himself to building up his followers, sending them on smaller missions around Vale. Soon, the humans feared their might.

But it wasn't enough.


	61. Boisterous

**61\. Boisterous**

Cinder arranged everything. All he had to do was relay the orders to his men. He marked the fated day in his heart, revelling in the fact that soon, he'd be properly reunited with his beloved. They were forced to lay low, saving supplies and hiding from authorities until the Vytal Festival was well on its way.

He dreamed a lot, during those few months of waiting. In his dreams, he encountered many people. The only ones that mattered, though, were Ghira, abandoning him; Sienna, condescending, unaware; Ilia, worried, lonely; and Blake.

Her tears burned his skin. He'd gladly melt in them forever.


	62. Placid

**62\. Placid**

One of his followers raised concerns as the Vytal Festival neared its end. "There will be so many victims- Faunus are there, too!" they insisted.

A quick fire from Blush silenced them. He stood on his makeshift throne, rising above his followers. "Does anyone else wish to back away from this attack?"

No one else dared respond.

"Brothers, sisters- we are finally at a momentous day! We will stain the streets of Vale, home to bigots and racists, and their precious Academy, which continues to allow these mongrels to live, red with their blood. Our retribution is not unjustified!"

Only a few more days, and Blake would be his again.


	63. Tired

**63\. Tired**

Just as Cinder said, the attack upon Beacon and Amity Colosseum was swift, deadly, and unstoppable.

Adam watched his troops attack the businesses and people who had discriminated against the Faunus, first and foremost. Videos were shared across the CCTS of their grim executions. The world needed to know what happened when they hurt the Faunus.

His job was done. He took his private airship to Beacon, leaving his soldiers to attack any civilians and Huntsmen still around. Beacon deserved to burn.

Amidst the flames and screams, he found her. His beloved was there. She was wearing a bow, hiding her Faunus heritage. He would teach her better.


	64. Bliss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is gross and I'm genuinely uncomfortable.

**64\. Bliss**

She tried to fight him. But Blake had never won against him in the past, and she never would. Not if he could help it.

Wilt's blade cut into her abdomen. It was almost orgasmic. God, how he wanted to keep her eyes fixated on him forever, burning gold among the flames. He snarled, pushing her down further. On the ground, screaming his name- that was where she belonged, begging him to let her go, begging him to free her…

He wouldn't. She had haunted his dreams for too long.

She didn't want him anymore? Bullshit. She just needed to see the warrior he really was.


	65. Neglect

**65\. Neglect**

Yet, the blonde girl- Yang Xiao Long, her 'partner', that _filthy human- _had the _gall _to stand in the way. She was strong, but each blow landed upon Wilt's blade. She didn't know his strength.

Slicing one of Yang's weaponized arms off truly pushed him over the brink. Unlike when he had stabbed her, Blake's expression _broke _as her arm fell_. _She may have finally felt even a fraction of the pain he had endured when she left him.

But then, Blake's Semblance activated. He was tricked. Blake made her choice.

_If Yang doesn't die today, I'll hunt them both down my fucking self._

She would _not _have Blake.


	66. Fine

**66\. Fine**

The attack went smoothly. The CCTS and Beacon fell. His followers, largely unscathed somehow throughout the mission, praised him, glorified him. Their banner finally struck fear into peoples' hearts.

Everything should've been fine.

So why was _he _being demonized by the world? Why wasn't the White Fang gaining more power after proving that they'd hunt down anyone who got in their way?

Where had Blake escaped to?!

The final blow was Sienna. She rejected his victory, stripping him of his title, ridiculing his newfound power and prominence.

So, he began to plan. A leader unafraid to act such as her was no longer needed.


	67. Question

**** **67\. Question**

He conferenced with his soldiers. They would always follow him over Sienna. And when the summons from Sienna came, they knew what to do. There wasn't any choice, after all.

They returned to headquarters quietly. Sienna doled out her punishment. "Why I am not executing you, I don't know," she muttered.

_As if I'll allow you to kill me. I've survived too long. _If he had lived through the abuse of the humans, he could live through anything.

But the longer he thought about it, the more he wondered- why just make the humans _fear _the Faunus, when they could _serve _the Faunus instead?

His followers agreed.


	68. Energetic

**68\. Energetic**

How Hazel found him, he didn't know.

There was something about this human- something powerful, lumbering in his gait. Something dangerous. He recognized it.

Hazel had nothing to lose.

So when he claimed to serve the same master as Cinder, Adam entertained him. Although he didn't know what became of her, Cinder had served her purpose well. Hazel offered to support Adam in his ascension to leadership to guide the White Fang to a better tomorrow. Adam accepted. More power meant more opportunities. If all it took was destroying Haven Academy…

Hazel didn't need to know that Adam would shatter humanity.


	69. Noble

**** **69\. Noble**

Sienna didn't see it coming.

She called him short-sighted. She called him weak. She rejected the attack on Haven, rejected the possibility of gaining a patron in Hazel's master. Even when he appealed to her use of strength and desire for renown, she shut his pleas down.

She claimed Adam to be nothing more than a 'symbol' for the White Fang. He almost laughed.

He was more than a symbol- he would be their _saviour._

The seat on the throne at the head of the hall, the one which he used to revere Ghira upon, was perfect for him.


	70. Disgust

**** **70\. Disgust**

The Faunus accepted his ascension gladly. He became High Leader, proudly leading the procession for Sienna's memorial. Everyone knew she had mentored him, after all. Her loss must've hit him the hardest, right?

His followers kept their lips sealed. No one else knew she died by his blade.

Hazel didn't approve of his methods. It didn't matter. He was naught but a filthy human in the end.

But then, Adam heard the news. Blake was living in Menagerie with her parents. She was within arm's reach once again, but he didn't reach out- not yet. He wanted her to see his true might the day that he crushed her.


	71. Lively

**** **71\. Lively**

Plans to attack Haven became solidified over time. The goal was the CCT- after the Fall of Beacon, global communication had crumbled, after all. The humans were in disarray.

So, he ensured that his people were united, ready to pounce on that weakness the moment Mistral's safe zone fell.

But there was one more thing which he needed if he could truly achieve his goals- true power. The White Fang could destroy the humans, enslave them- but he needed more power to ensure that Blake never ran away again.

Seated on his pedestal, he awaited the day he could meet Hazel's master and take the power which belonged to him.


	72. Power

**72\. Power**

Everything about Salem was horrifying and fearsome. He felt himself shrink away from the terrifying witch standing before him. The scent of Grimm filled the air, and he couldn't help but shudder- for Salem was not simply Hazel and Cinder's master. She was a _true monster. _

And so, when she offered her backing to destroy humanity, he took it without a second thought. Her strength was enough to rend civilization asunder. He would use it happily to achieve his own ends. The humans would bow to him. Blake would rue the day she left him.

But, Salem made him remove his mask. He didn't want to. She gave him no choice.

For the first time in _years, _he felt naked, vulnerable. But she merely smiled.

"Never again will Faunus suffer like you, young Adam Taurus."

He smiled back.

He couldn't beat her, but he could join her.


	73. Pity

**73\. Pity**

Ilia: his oldest friend, his staunchest ally.

She stuck by him, fulfilling his orders without a second thought. She helped Fennec and Corsac isolate the Belladonnas, staying true to their ideals in the White Fang. Even during his takedown of Sienna, she had worn her Grimm mask and fought against Sienna's followers to ensure Adam took control.

But something changed in the weeks leading up to the assault on Haven.

She hadn't been able to bring back Blake beforehand. "It's alright," he soothed. "We'll bring her home."

Yet, Ilia didn't reply, something akin to pity in her eyes. The sinking in his gut at her rejection felt far too familiar.


	74. Humiliation

**74\. Humiliation**

His troops were in position. The charges were set. Everything should've lined up perfectly, his people ready to finally gain enough power amidst the confusion to begin their assault on humanity at last.

But Blake showed up with the Faunus of Menagerie, guns blazing, and there was no way to reconcile what was to happen.

He glanced up at the top of Haven, where the bomb charges around the CCT had been set. Silhouetted against the sky was a woman- short, gangly, sunspots and skin shifting back to a natural colour. Disarmed bombs fell from her hands.

Ilia betrayed him, too. Haven didn't fall.


	75. Satisfied

**75\. Satisfied**

Blake raised a hand against him. She struck him- without even using her weapon! She _mocked _him! And when he looked to Hazel, the man left him behind. Cinder, who was supposed to have been there- she was supposed to have burned the school to the ground- never made an appearance again.

And in his heart, he knew- Salem's power wasn't reserved for him. She wouldn't support him after this.

His men removed their masks. They threw down their weapons. Everywhere he looked, the betrayal _burned. _

_This isn't how it was supposed to be. _

He staggered off into the shadows, a shame coursing through him which he hadn't tasted ever since he was a child. This couldn't be the end.


	76. Thankful

**76\. Thankful**

Hiding in plain sight was easier than he thought. All he needed was a cloak, and no one could see his mask nor his horns. And, with that taken care of, he lurked in the corners of seedy taverns, biding his time.

His twenty-fourth birthday was spent in a cold hotel room, his Scroll playing news off a local station, covering the attack upon Haven. They had painted the Faunus, led by Ghira, as some kinds of heroes, stopping Adam and his faction from terrorizing Mistral…

_What kind of garbage-_

There were talks of Ghira taking over the White Fang again.

_Over my dead body. _That was _his _throne.


	77. Hyper

**77\. Hyper**

On the news, he saw Blake standing next to her Beacon team. _…She's… back with Yang?_

The human had a prosthetic arm to replace the one he had stolen. She smiled onscreen, looking at Blake. And as he watched her hand linger on Blake's shoulder while the announcer praised the Huntsmen students for 'stepping in to help end the attack', Adam knew what he had to do.

He was going to gather the rest of his followers, and with their combined strength, he was going to find Blake and her little friends. Wilt and Blush hadn't tasted her blood in a long, long time. A proper reunion was long overdue.


	78. Goosebumps

**78\. Goosebumps**

The journey was hard. He travelled in shadows, staying out of sight as much as possible.

When he finally made it back to the White Fang's headquarters, the guards held their weapons up _against _him. The very people who had worshiped his footsteps, made him a _hero, _rejected him.

He was almost sick at even the thought.

"Sienna was right about you," one guard said. "We… we should've listened to Ghira, even before her."

That? That was the final blow. It was just like Vacuo nine years earlier. He had done what was _needed, _and they still rejected him.

What had he accomplished, over the last nine years?


	79. Worthless

**79\. Worthless**

Everyone was worthless.

Humans, Faunus- everyone. Everyone rejected him. Everyone reviled him. Even though he had sacrificed _everything, _given his _entire fucking life _to liberating his people, they still turned their noses at him.

So, he killed them all.

Wilt cut through everyone in the White Fang's headquarters with ease. He stormed the main hall with nothing but rage and bitter loneliness in his veins, and when he finally reached his throne- _fuck _he had been so proud of it, only months earlier- it no longer felt right.

So, he destroyed it. The White Fang wasn't his mantra- not anymore.


	80. Remorse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only 20 left!!!

**80\. Remorse**

His nights were cold. He found himself sleeping in trees more often than not- after making it back to central Anima, he was no longer able to enter any establishment. Even with the downfall of the CCTS, people seemed to know his face, his mask.

Once upon a time, those thoughts would've filled him with pride. The world knew him, feared him! But without the White Fang's support, what was even the point?

He dreamed often of Blake. She had looked _beautiful, _leading the Faunus.

…If only she hadn't been leading them against him.

Why couldn't she see that he had tried changing the world for _her?_


	81. Degraded

**81\. Degraded**

On the road, some Faunus found him.

"You told us that the Belladonnas were weak! That we'd never achieve equality if we followed them. You said that we could defeat the humans. I thought we had enough power to topple them!"

There was a child there. He whispered, "I thought you'd save us."

_That _was it. Automatically, Adam cried, "I _will _save us! I will liberate us all-"

But their eyes were filled with nothing but doubt and fear as they looked down upon his bedraggled form, and he finally understood. He truly wasn't their hero, not anymore.


	82. Revenge

**82\. Revenge**

Once their bodies were disposed of, he knew where to go.

_I'll find you, Blake. _

Everything had started with Blake, hadn't it? He had once thought that he'd find salvation through her.

He was compelled to dedicate his entire being to the White Fang's cause after being inspired by Ghira and Kali, who in turn only fought for Blake.

He had only joined Sienna and her power-hungry movement in order to achieve results for Blake.

He had become a _monster _in the eyes of the world by joining Salem, the humans, everyone… for Blake.

And she deserved to feel the same amount of pain her existence had caused him.


	83. Fulfilled

**83\. Fulfilled**

It cost a pretty penny to learn where she had gone, but eventually, the street ears and informants and resident scum of Mistral told him where to find her.

Argus. She was going to Argus.

He wasn't able to make it onto the Argus Limited, but there were other trains, and with the embargo between Atlas and the world in effect, she'd be stuck there for at least a little while. He had time.

It was the first time in _months _that he had had a concrete goal, and he couldn't be happier.

_But what happens after?_

He didn't know.


	84. Shame

**84\. Shame**

It was a mistake to take off his cloak.

He had thought he was safe in his private booth. With a drink in hand, he was content to be alone, to brood, to plan. His thoughts kept taking him to Blake, to what he'd do with her- _to _her- when he finally found her.

And so, he wasn't expecting a steward to open up his door, seeing Adam in all his glory as he perched by the window. The steward recognized him, stuttering, quickly slamming the door. _Is it because I'm a Faunus? _he thought bitterly.

_Does it even matter?_


	85. Graceful

**85\. Graceful**

The train was slow-moving, unlike the express train Blake and her friends had taken. The pace ground at his nerves, and soon, he found himself pacing relentlessly up and down the aisles, growling at any passersby who blocked his path.

He just needed to get to her. There was an unease creeping under his skin, causing him to shudder and quake whenever he realized just how much farther he needed to go. He just… he needed to find Blake.

That was his only goal. He lost sight of everything else.

In his head, he still looked ready to lead, graceful in his confidence. Reality left him as anything but.


	86. Shining

**86\. Shining**

"Are we almost there, mom?"

"We're almost home, sweetheart."

The tender words shared between the Faunus mother and child seated near him in the dining car was more than enough to tip him over the edge.

The woman's voice reminded him of a gentle hand from so long ago.

But what was home to him?

_Blake. _

The very thought of her sent him into a rage, and his vision blacked out for a moment. Next thing he knew, there was a gaping hole in a window. The child was crying. He was asked to leave the train.

There was still a ways to go before Argus.


	87. Content

**87\. Content**

His dreams amidst snow-covered trees in the northern mountains were more than enough to push him into a fever. During the daylight hours, he'd creep through snowy underbrush and hike his way northeast, following railroad tracks blankly. He didn't notice when the rain and snow blanketed him as he walked, when the winds threatened to push him off his feet. After all, his mind was too far away to even notice.

Instead of the bitter Mistralian winter, all Adam could think of was the burning flames blanketing Beacon- and the sensation of his blade piercing through his beloved's flesh. That heat numbed the cold perfectly.


	88. Feelings

**88\. Feelings**

The hooded couple holding hands on the road crushed him. They giggled as they made their way through the trees, joy and contentment radiating from their bodies like a cruel mockery of everything he had ever wanted.

_Why do humans get to have that kind of happiness?_

They didn't even see him coming. Wilt made quick work of them. When their hoods slipped off, revealing Faunus ears and a gilled neck, he almost vomited.

His remorse quickly died. Faunus, human- neither mattered. Soon, it was replaced by bitter jealousy.

Once upon a time, he had just wanted to explore the world with Blake's hand in his, too.


	89. Pleased

**89\. Pleased**

When he saw the Grimm among the shadows, it was almost relieving. Finally, creatures which he knew how to handle. Dealing with their gnashing teeth and slicing claws had been second nature to him for most of his life.

And yet, he had no time to be pleased with himself. The attack was too brutal. His Aura was so weak from sleeping in the cold and living in his head for so long that his wounds wouldn't heal properly. His body ached relentlessly.

He stumbled away from the clearing where the Grimm's bodies dissipated. He didn't notice how his mask fell to the ground along the way.


	90. Relief

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 10! MORE! LEFT!

**90\. Relief**

And then, he found tracks.

He knew that Yang drove a motorcycle. There was no reason to assume that the tracks he found in freshly-powdered snow belonged to that disgusting human- why Blake would be on foot escaped him- but he had no choice but to follow them. They were heading straight to Argus, after all.

So, he began hunting. Years of surviving in the wilderness of Vacuo taught him well- he stayed hidden in the trees, cutting down anyone and anything that threatened to give his presence away.

It was almost time for his vengeance. He couldn't wait to see her again.


	91. I

**91\. I**

When he finally caught sight of her, it was as if time slowed itself. She looked so confident and regal as she walked tall, ears on display, a proud Faunus. She was nothing like the quivering woman he had encountered in Beacon, nor the spiteful creature who had scorned him so cruelly in Haven.

And at her side was Yang.

Why had she chosen so many others over him? Where had he gone wrong? He was Adam Taurus- the leader of the White Fang, survivor of the work camps in Vacuo. A true leader, charismatic and powerful. So why couldn't she see that?

Why wasn't he worth holding onto?


	92. Zest

**92\. Zest**

He didn't want to risk entering Argus' doors when he finally arrived.

Just as expected, Blake had entered the city with ease. He knew that he wouldn't be able to follow, since the Atlesian military presence was too strong in the area. So, he camped nearby the gates- they were the only way in or out of the city on foot.

He found himself staring at his reflection in a nearby frozen lake, seeing for the first time in _years _that his scar was on display. How long had it been since he had properly looked at himself without his mask?

The image stung.


	93. Tears

**93\. Tears**

Examining his reflection was painful. There wasn't any anger left towards the SDC, not anymore. After the White Fang abandoned him, he had hollowed out.

Was there truly nothing else worth fighting for? No cause for him to champion? No reason for him to continue his fight?

In all his years in the White Fang, had he really not been able to change anything?

The scar was red and puffy, even after all these years. The sight was horrendous. Nothing had changed.

He tore a sheer strip from his undershirt and tied it around his face. It grew damp quickly, tears uncontrollable. He didn't want to look at it anymore.


	94. Building

**94\. Building**

The day finally came when he saw Blake leaving the Argus' walled borders with the others. They all looked determined and quiet, heading for the shoreline outside of Argus, facing the north wearily. He followed, stalking her in the shadows, blending into the trees as best he could.

He knew. If she managed to get away here and head to Atlas, like he could only assume she wanted- why else would she be in Argus, after all?- then he'd lose her forever.

And he'd _never _let her slip away again.

The hunger for his vengeance, for _her, _was all-consuming.


	95. Optimistic

**95\. Optimistic**

He could still remember, years earlier, when he'd watch her read her books. He never learned to read as a child- so, in the home of the Belladonnas, she would sit next to him and teach him letters.

He never understood the magic of her fantasy worlds. Instead, he'd fall under the spell of her voice, of the joy sparkling in her eyes as he grew better and better and reading.

That memory felt dirty now. Instead, all he could do was watch from shadows.

But then, she gave him the greatest gift. She left her team behind in the trees.

They could finally be alone.


	96. Thrilled

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's _thrilled_ to be at T-4??? Almost done!

**96\. Thrilled**

Her terror was _delicious._

Wild eyes frantically followed him. He pulled off the blindfold, showing her his scar.

Back then, she had accepted him. Now, she was _horrified._

Wilt ached to taste her again- _he _ached to taste her again. She was finally in reach.

That is, until Yang showed up.

And then, the blonde suddenly became his greatest enemy, because he just couldn't hate Blake, no matter what had happened. He still loved her more than anything. When he was lost, she had given him a reason to live.

And then, she had proceeded to _ruin everything. _

He was going to enjoy ruining Yang again in return.


	97. Dealing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> T-3.

**97\. Dealing**

When Yang looked at him, her fingers quavered, and his heart soared, warmth growing in his belly- sick, perverse, _justified. _

Yang's skin remembered the taste of Wilt. She wasn't strong enough to face him. And, judging by the look of pain on Blake's face, she couldn't hurt him, either.

_I've won. _

The joy was sickeningly sweet. _I'll destroy Yang first. _Then, he would have his way with Blake- his red blade would be stained with her blood, her skin pressed against his, and he'd cut her heart to pieces the way that she'd torn his apart two years earlier.


	98. Reflect

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> T-2!!!

**98\. Reflect**

Why was this even happening? The fight wore on and he was winning, dammit.

Blake and Yang reached out and grabbed each other's hands. His vision turned red.

_That blonde bitch. _

And yet, no matter how much he struck them down, they kept coming back again and again and-

_Blake won't hurt me. She _can't _hurt me, she knows this face- I _made _her into who she was, she _lives _for me, be it in fear or love or whatever the fuck it is, I don't _care anymore-

And then, her blade was on the floor.

_She won't hurt me._

They both lunged for it.

_She's mine._

She stabbed him.


	99. Embarrassment

**99\. Embarrassment**

He gasped. His blood seeped over her pale skin. Briefly, his mind's eye flashed back in time to when her hands ran through his red hair, the colour matching her so perfectly. She had always matched _him _so perfectly.

The second blade entered his back. Golden hair filled his periphery.

"I'm not yours anymore."

He wanted to cry. He choked out, "No," but the blades ripped free and he staggered to the cliff's ledge, breathless and broken.

_But… I've always been yours._

She didn't want him anymore.

_You accepted me._

She shook as she watched him.

_You didn't look away from my scars._

But she didn't want a _monster._


	100. Death

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we are, the finale. I hope you enjoyed this fic!
> 
> If you enjoyed this format of writing (ie. with the 100 Prompt Challenge), then check out my newest work: _Touch the Sky_. It's the same sort of format, although this time it's the original 100 prompts (not the emotion-based challenge like _No Compromise)_. In _TtS_, the subject in question is...__
> 
> **Mercury Black!**
> 
> So if you're a Merc fan, that could be something you'll enjoy :D

**100\. Death**

Once upon a time, he had imagined his death would be valiant. He would be glorified, lionized. A martyr to guide his people to an even better future.

As the waterfall's spray drowned him, forcing his head underwater, stealing air from his lungs, all he could do was choke and sputter and realize that his demise was nothing more than a pathetic finale to a pathetic life.

He had wanted to make a future where he could live free- where he could live with _her._ Somehow, that wish had become warped. This wasn't the future he wanted.

His wounds burned. The SDC brand pulsed.

Then, he was just cold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a review: I'm curious to know if your opinion of Adam has changed in anyway over the course of this journey.
> 
> I hope to see you around in my other works! Cheers :)

**Author's Note:**

> Leave a comment, let me know what you think!


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